Felipe

“This is…”

“This is the power room installed on the middle floors of the Mage Tower.”

A heavy, ominous rumbling echoed—goon, goon— and gears and the like continued to move without rest.

Here and there ancient characters were engraved, their content detailing each device’s operation and precautions.

Perhaps this very room was a magical apparatus itself. For some reason Jonah felt that way.

“This, indeed, is the Mage Tower’s source of power and its greatest treasure… The ‘Jewel of Nornil.’”

Red, green, and blue spheres floated in the center of the power room, circling as if playing a game of chase.

“Mr. Tommaso, this is…”

“I… no, none of the mages in this Mage Tower truly understand the ‘Jewel of Nornil.’ However…”

“However?”

“When these three spheres trace their circles, mana is supplied, and by that all the magical devices in the Mage Tower operate.”

In other words, the ‘Jewel of Nornil’ is what makes the Mage Tower what it is—one could say it is the heart of the Tower.

“W-wait a moment. So if you take the ‘Jewel of Nornil’…”

“Of course, the Mage Tower will cease all of its functions.”

Felipe said it as if it were obvious, his expression as stern as ever.

Now Jonah could understand why the two mages had tried to stop them.

But.

“Um… why did you accept Mr. Tommaso’s request…?”

Jonah simply could not understand it.

Felipe said that if the clue found in the underground warehouse was true, it would lead to the Mage Tower’s advancement—but to do that, they would have to halt the supply of mana to the Tower.

If that happened, even if only for a short time, the Mage Tower would lose its functions and suffer considerable consequences.

Even so, Felipe chose to do it. No—he had found value in Tommaso’s request, a request he had previously looked down upon.

All the more, Jonah wanted to know why.

“Hmph. As I said earlier, if that clue to ancient magic is true and lets us peer into the depths of magic, so much the better. Everything is for the Mage Tower.”

Felipe snorted and answered brusquely.

His proud, arrogant manner befitted the Mage Tower’s person in charge; to Jonah, for some reason, it looked like an attempt to hide embarrassment.

Felipe then nonchalantly reached out his right hand and plucked each rotating sphere, one by one.

Then.

“The sound has stopped…”

The gears that had been turning rhythmically all came to a halt, and the room was cloaked in silence.

The Mage Tower had stood for ages; how many times in the past its motions had been stopped like this, no one knew. But now, the Tower was granted a long-overdue rest.

“Felipe…”

“Why the dazed look? Hurry and lead me to the place where that so-called clue lies.”

Felipe told Tommaso, who looked on with a complex expression, in his usual manner.

Surely the two had shared this sort of relationship since they first met in this Mage Tower ten years ago.

As proof of that.

“Nuhoho. You’re still so impatient, it’s troubling.”

“Quiet. I cannot waste even a single second of my precious time.”

Tommaso made a teasing remark while Felipe retorted insolently—a comfortable familiarity flowed between them.

◇◆◇◆◇

“Dust is everywhere, it’s terrible. Is that clue really supposed to be in a place like this?”

“Nuhoho…”

As soon as they entered the underground warehouse, Felipe covered his mouth with a cloth and spoke sarcastically; Tommaso couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Jonah looked at the two of them—or rather, at Felipe—with a puzzled expression.

‘Does this person really have an interest in ancient magic…?’

He had come here with the Jewel of Nornil in hand, claiming it was for the advancement of magic, so he should at least show some interest.

And yet from Felipe there was not the slightest sign of such an attitude.

“Felipe, look at this.”

“Oh… so you mean we should place the ‘Jewel of Nornil’ here?”

“Yes… wait!?”

Before Tommaso could nod, Felipe had already fitted the ‘Jewel of Nornil’ into a recess in the floor.

Then.

“Mmph!”

“Oh!”

The ‘Jewel of Nornil’ sank into the hole, and the adjacent floor began to move with a rumble.

After several dozen seconds, a stone staircase descending downward appeared where the floor had stopped.

“Beneath here, a clue to ancient magic…!”

Tommaso’s eyes shone as he gazed at the staircase that disappeared into the darkness.

Beside him.

“………………………Tch.”

Jonah, standing nearby, did not miss Felipe’s bored click of the tongue.